This invention relates to an apparatus and method for processing bank notes, in particular for singling, counting, sorting and testing the authenticity of bank notes or papers of value.
For bank note processing machines and money counting machines it is known to use a display and a keyboard input unit for inputting commands and selecting certain processing operations and for progress displays or help displays.
An improvement with respect to operator friendliness is obtained with an input device and display device according to the international application WO 99/09511. This laid-open print states a bank note processing machine for recognizing, testing and/or counting bank notes. Said bank note processing machine contains a touch-sensitive screen constructed from a matrix of optically transparent switch elements which is disposed over the display unit. The selection elements are indicated by the display so that the operator can make a corresponding selection by pressing on the transparent switch elements. The display is simultaneously used for displaying status information or for help information. A thus constructed operator prompting is very flexible in application since it can easily be adapted to given or changing requirements. Despite the easy adaptability of the operator prompting with the touch-sensitive display as known from WO 99/09511, it has the disadvantage that the operator is still prompted by means of text. For international application, the machines must thus be adapted to the particular national language. No simple and intuitive operator prompting is possible.